Half the Fun
by twouble
Summary: Lily Evans hated James Potter. No. That was wrong. She didn’t hate him. She despised him. The problem was, James Potter didn’t hate Lily Evans, in fact, quite the opposite. He adored her. LilyJames fic. Final year, will James get the girl?
1. The Sound of Laughter

James lay on his four poster bed lazily, his legs swinging off the edge, his shoes and socks lay on the floor beside him, his tie, with his head boy badge pinned to it at an awkward angle, was hanging off the end of one of the posts. His three best friends lounged in assorted positions on their own beds. On the bed opposite his Sirius Black lay on his front, idly brush his dark hair out of his face, James had long since given up with his, knowing that, regardless of what he attempted to do with it, it would return to a scruffy mop within seconds. Beside him Remus Lupin sat, his head firmly within their latest Defence Against The Dark Arts text book, nodding occasionally and saying yes and no in the right places in order to ensure he still appeared to be paying attention to the conversation his roommates were having.

The fourth bed in the room was occupied by a smaller boy, his nose was slightly pointed and his hair mousy. He was also rounder than his friends, and was sat in the centre of his bed, legs crossed, hanging onto every word exchanged between Sirius and James, who were discussing that evening's top conversation; Quidditch.

"Well, mate, you are Captain, if we lose to Slytherin this year it will all be your fault."

"It wouldn't!" Peter, the smallest boy, squeaked slightly. Whilst he had always showed great admiration for Sirius, he practically adored James, and would never hear a word said against him. Unless it was by someone taller than him, clever than him, in a different house from him, older than him, or, the only one of the above that Sirius actually fitted; by someone more than five foot away from him.

"And why's that Peter? Become a Quidditch expert over the summer?"

"Well….well there's seven players on a team, not just one!"

"Very clever, I'd throw you a treat if I had any." He smirked, James laughed, Remus sniggered from behind his book, Peter himself even found the joke mildly amusing. Remus glanced over at them once the brief laughter had subsided.

"Did you find Dumbledore Prongs?"

"Yeah, didn't get a chance to speak to him though, he was talking to Lily and…" He paused, a smile on his lips. James had been in love with Lily for the past three years. Something the whole school had noticed, possibly owing to his frequent habit of asking her out. It was something he did at least once daily. Twice if there was a Hogsmeade trip coming up. Unfortunately for James, Lily wasn't in love with him, far from it. In fact, Lily was possibly the only girl in the school who wasn't in love with James Potter. With the exception of a rather unusual third year, who was madly in love with Sirius and would follow him around corridors dreamily until James physically removed her from his best friend's presence. Generally by locking her in bathrooms or cupboards until Sirius was a good few corridors away. He would then point her in the wrong direction and hope she wouldn't find them again for a few hours.

"He was talking to Lily, and what?" Sirius asked, a grin playing on his lips.

"Oh, um, and I didn't want to interrupt. Too early in the year to be getting hexed."

"She wouldn't hex you in front of Dumbledore." Remus pointed out, closing the text book and adding to a tidy stack beside his bed. Sirius hadn't yet unpacked his books, Peter had, although his stack had tumbled over almost immediately after he had made it and so the books now lay in an untidy heap. James' books were also in an untidy heap, mixed in with several pairs of socks, a quill or five, ink bottles, rolls of parchment and various other items which had been flung untidily from his trunk in search for a large box of Chocolate Frogs, the contents of which were now strewn about the dormitory, wrappers discarded and the cards portraying famous witches and wizards which lay within them flung carelessly from one friend to another as they searched for the few cards they had still yet to obtain.

"I don't know Moony, Lily isn't all that fond of our Prongs. Don't think she'd pass up an opportunity to tell him so, even in front of Dumbledore. After all, our esteemed headmaster is awfully fond of Lily, made her head girl an' everything. But then again-" He sat himself up and flung a Chocolate Frog card with Hengist of Woodcroft on at James. "He must be starting to lose his marbles, making dear James head boy an' all that."

"Maybe he thinks it'll straighten him out." Remus added in thoughtfully.

"It won't of course."

"Of course not." James said, a look of mischief about him.

"Perfect opportunity for some maraudering, don't you think?"

"Perfectly acceptable to be out of bed after hours-"

"If the head boy's with you-"

"Unless, of course-"

"Unless?" Remus asked, clearly enjoying James and Sirius' pre-term plotting.

"Unless James' dear Lily flower was to catch us."

"Ah, of course." Remus nodded. "Of course."

"Because that, Moony my friend, would find our much required head boy running for the hills, before little Lily can catch up with him."

"And hex him into the middle of next week?"

"And hex him into the middle of next _month_, Moony, next month."

"Or maybe-" James interrupted. Sirius eyed him curiously.

"Maybe?"

"Maybe Lily won't hex me at all this year. Maybe this year she'll say yes."

"And maybe this year Padfoot won't get a single detention."

"And maybe this year Wormtail'll get a date."

"Do you think?" Peter asked, hope etched in his face. His fellow marauders couldn't help laughing. Sirius tumbled off his bed and landed in a heap beside his trunk, still laughing. James flung his pillow at him and the sound of laughter echoed throughout the room for the rest of that evening.


	2. Breakfast

**A/N: This chapter's considerably longer than I intended it to be, and it's gone in a totally different direction than I intended too… hope it's still enjoyable though :)**

Breakfast was most definitely James' favourite time of the day. This was for several reasons, firstly; it involved food, something that he was quite partial to. Secondly, it afforded him an opportunity to gaze over at Lily without too much notice being taken from anyone else, his three closest friends generally being far too tired to observe whatever James was doing. Thirdly, it was the only time of the day that he could speak to Lily and actually receive a response that didn't involve her wand being pointed at him. Lily, like James, enjoyed breakfast, and as such was always in the best mood she could possibly be as they sat down at the long tables in the great hall.

Today, James was sure, would be no exception, after six years of eating breakfast at the same table as Lily he had become accustomed to her cheerful manor in the mornings. And, as head boy, he was required to arrive early that morning. It was the first day of term and Professor McGonagall, James' transfiguration teacher, and head of Gryffindor house, would have the mammoth task of assigning timetables to all of the students and had requested the assistance of the head boy and girl. James had eagerly agreed and he assumed Lily had too.

He waited for her in the common room for a while after he had dressed, but assuming she'd gone ahead of him he pinned his head boy badge (which he'd bewitched to say 'Potter for President' and 'King James' alternately until Professor Flitwick had, rather nervously, asked him if he'd mind removing the charm) to his robes and raced down the corridors towards the great hall.

"No running in the corridors!" A rather pompous looking fifth year prefect from Ravenclaw held a hand out to stop James, who laughed and pointed to his own badge.

"I'm head boy, you pillock."

"That doesn't mean that you can run in the corridors, if Professor Dumbledore-"

"Not causing mischief already are you, Mr Potter?" A voice said from behind them. James turned to see the headmaster smiling at him, his blue eyes twinkling from behind half moon spectacles. "Not to worry Mr MacMillan, James is running rather late to join Professor McGonagall in the great hall, I think we can let it slide this time. Perhaps you should return to your dormitory and make sure the first years don't get lost on their way to breakfast, they do have a habit of doing so."

"Yes sir." MacMillan said, and nodded haughtily to James before retreating back down the corridor. Dumbledore turn his gaze back to the head boy.

"I better not detain you any longer Mr Potter, being late would not be a good start to your head student duties."

"I was waiting for Lily sir, but she must've gone ahead."

"No doubt she has, very keen that girl. And you're very keen also Mr Potter, but not quite on the headship, your interests lie with the head girl do they not?"

"Well, I-"

"I was young too once, believe it or not. And it would be very difficult not to notice, when your affections for Miss Evans are rather often the talk of the school. Now, run along, Minerva will not be pleased with me if I delay you further." James was sure he must've turned a delicate shade of pink, but he hurried along the corridor nonetheless, arriving in the great hall moments later, McGonagall looked up from the parchment she was studying with Lily.

"Just in time Mr Potter. I'd quite like a strong man to lift those boxes to the end of each house table, it will make it much easier to divide the timetables if it can be done from the end of each table in turn."

"Professor?" Lily asked, avoiding James' gaze. "Shouldn't that job be given to the head boy?"

"Potter is the head boy, Miss Evans."

"He's _what_?!" She stared at him in shock. "You? But how-" James just shrugged. "You weren't even a prefect!"

"I am Quidditch Captain though." He lifted the boxes in turn and placed them at the foot of the tables, wondering why McGonagall hadn't just moved them by magic. Lily watched him, shock still etched upon her face. She obviously hadn't noticed him wearing the badge, he hadn't expected that, although he knew it was likely she wouldn't be pleased about the appointment. Remus had been given the prefect's badge, everyone expected he'd become head boy, everyone except Remus himself. _"They can't have a head boy who needs to leave the school once a month, they need them available all the time. I thought Jason Abbot would get it though. You know, the Hufflepuff prefect."_

"I think, Mr Potter, if you take Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, Miss Evans can take Hufflepuff and Slytherin, you can hand out the timetables to second, fourth, fifth and seventh years. It's not usually something I ask the head students to do, but I will need to confirm choices with the third and sixth years and I think we'll have a fair few complications this year, Professor Manning set a rather difficult Defence Against the Dark Arts OWL last year, I expect I'll be quite a while with the sixth years. Could you open the main doors do you think?" James did as he was asked, and students soon started to arrive. Remus led the nervous Gryffindor first years to James, who quickly found each timetable in turn. He continued to give out the pieces of parchment to various students and when both of his boxes were empty he walked towards Lily, intent on offering to help her finish up, just as Severus Snape approached her for his timetable. Snape was a Slytherin in James' year whom he despised. He had once been friends with Lily but she had never quite forgiven him for calling her a mudblood in their fifth year, James had hated him tenfold from that point on. He stopped about three foot from where Lily stood, watching, his hand on his wand within his robes in case he dared upset Lily.

"Name." Lily said, wanting to keep a level of formality that allowed her avoid considering their abandoned friendship.

"You know what my name is Evans." James gripped his wand harder, preparing to turn it on Snape. Lily, however, just found his timetable and studied it briefly before handing him it. "Checking if you've got any lessons with me were you?"

"I know I don't, Gryffindor and Slytherin seventh years don't have any lessons together this year."

"Shame that… thought you might miss me." He was getting dangerously close to Lily and she was beginning to look uncomfortable. James was outraged.

"Sit down Snape, leave the head girl to finish what she's doing." With a sharp, piercing glare of contempt, Snape joined his friends at the Slytherin table. Lily, far from being grateful, was fuming.

"I am perfectly capable of looking after myself Potter and I do not need you to attempt to stick up for me!" A group of first years at the Hufflepuff table looked slightly frightened as Lily brandished her wand at James, pointing it square between his eyes. Professor Slughorn, head of Slytherin house, approached them, a smile on his face. Lily was one of his favourite students, he rarely reproached her for anything. Just before Christmas in their sixth year Lily had given James an extra pair of ears during a potions lesson, but despite the commotion it caused Slughorn insisted they continued with their work. Remus had had to remove the ears during their free period.

"Miss Evans, it's a little early in the year for you and Potter to be fighting, don't you think? And with double potions first thing? Come on now, wands away, breakfast time." He bustled off and Lily lowered her wand slowly. James offered her a smile, as it was breakfast and her mood was particularly upbeat she returned it.

"I'm sorry for trying to be Mr Noble…."

"You're not sorry Potter, you enjoy it."

"Well I do, but it's only because I-"

"Because it makes you feel high and mighty and massages your ego."

"No, it's not, Lily-"

"Evans."

"_Lily_. We've both got a free period this afternoon, would you like to go for a walk….?"

"How do you know what lessons I have?"

"I checked…" He said, a slight hint of guilt crossed his face as he withdrew Lily's timetable from his pocket and handed it to her. She studied it, ignoring his invitation. He spoke again after a few minutes. "Lily, that walk?"

"_Potter_, I can think of several hundred people I'd rather go for a walk with than you."

"Is the giant squid still included in that?"

"Yes Potter, yes it is. If you want to make yourself useful hand the rest of these out so I can get some breakfast." She waved a stack of Hufflepuff timetables at him and he nodded, anything to please dear Lily.


	3. Melodies and Corridors

**A/N: In celebration of me passing a level English I bring you more Half the Fun! & obviously the Hogwarts school song does belong to JK Rowling. As do her characters.**

If someone had been standing outside the Great Hall that morning they would've heard nothing more than the quiet chatter of sleepy students for much of breakfast. However, a new sound joined the conversations as lessons drew nearer. The sound of music. The sound of singing. To many the source wasn't clear but to everyone on the Gryffindor table it was obvious as the head boy led his best friends in a chorus of the school song.

_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please._

Still conducting his fellow Gryffindors, as many other students began to join in, and a few first years mumbled along, not really sure of the lyrics, James rose to his feet.

_Whether we be old and bald,_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

Not many students could have gotten away with creating a ruckus at breakfast, especially not this early in the school year, but not only was James Potter head boy, he was always one of Dumbledore's favourite students. And it helped that the headmaster was particularly fond of the school song, and had, by this point, joined in himself.

_Our heads could do with filling,_

_With some interesting stuff._

James climbed onto the wooden bench he had been seated on, turning slightly to face the rest of the school. Many teachers looked less than impressed, and half the Slytherin table was scowling at him. Most of the Gryffindors had risen to their feet and many Hufflepuff students had too.

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

Professor McGonagall glared at the head boy as he made to stand on the table, and knowing how strict his head of house could be, he remained on the bench. Raising the volume with each line, it was surprising the students weren't all deafened as they brought the song to a close, with James' fellow marauders joining him on the bench for the close, singing their hearts out.

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot!_

Dumbledore applauded heartily. "Ah, I shall never get tired of hearing that song. Thank you very much, Mr Potter. Well now, learning is a must! So off to your lessons with all of you!"

There was a loud, reluctant, scraping of chairs as those who had returned to their seats, and those who had not yet left them, stood, and began to siphon out of the hall, towards various classrooms. Many patting James on the back as they left, laughing and joking on their way out. Lily, however, didn't look pleased with him at all.

"You're supposed to be setting an example, Potter."

"Just getting the school year off to a cheerful start Lily."

"You'll have all the first years climbing on the benches for the rest of the year."

"And then you can tell them off." He grinned at her and she sighed. She didn't want to be an overly strict head girl, but she didn't need James making things harder than they ought to be.

"Just… get down. You said you wanted a walk, you can walk me to potions." James was quite shocked by this offer, despite the fact that they would both be heading down to the dungeons anyway, Lily would normally have done as much as she could to avoid being seen with him. He jumped down and offered her his arm, which she ignored, although she consented to allow him to play the gentleman and carry her books. James said goodbye to Peter, who wasn't taking potions at NEWT level, having only just scraped an 'Acceptable' in his OWL. Remus and Sirius would be joining him in the lesson, but he walked ahead with Lily. Neither said anything, they understood what James was like when it came to Miss Evans.

"So, Lily…"

"Evans."

"You don't have to call me James but I'm going to call you Lily." He smiled and after a few seconds Lily, much to James' surprise, smiled back.

"Alright then, if you must. _James_."

"So, you want to go out with me then?" Lily pulled out her wand and pointed it in James' direction.

"**Don't**__Push it."

"Now, now Evans, what were we saying about setting examples to the first years?" He nodded at a group of Hufflepuffs looking in their direction and gently pushed her wand down. She returned it to her robes.

"We'll be late if you don't stop messing around Potter."

"What happened to James?"

"You pushed it." He nodded and walked with her in silence. The Hufflepuffs who had been watching Lily threaten James followed them. Lily, who couldn't recall ever seeing James be _nice_ to a younger student who wasn't on the quidditch team, was surprised when he turned to the first years and, instead of hexing them, spoke to them, in a tone that Lily might have described as kind were it not coming from James Potter.

"Are you lost?"

"Transfiguration…." James pointed them in the right direction and Lily glanced at her watch once they were on their way.

"James, we're late."

"Oh so I'm James again, am I?"

"_James!_" She seized his arm and hauled him forward, but she wasn't strong enough for his weight and stumbled slightly crashing against a nearby wall, James beside her, their faces close, their lips inches apart. And the gap between them closing more by the second. She released his arm and pulled back quickly. "Hurry up Potter." She mumbled, embarrassed by what had happened. James however, was sat happily on cloud nine, as he shoved his free hand into his pocket and followed Lily down the stone staircase that led towards the dungeons.

He followed Lily into the classroom and let her give Professor Slughorn their excuses. He nodded for them to sit down and they took the only available seats in the room, sharing a desk. Whilst Slughorn began discussing what they would be doing that lesson, and attempting to impress upon them the importance of their final year at Hogwarts, James turned to look at Sirius, who nodded to Lily questioningly and gave him a thumbs up. Not saying a word, James just winked, and, upon seeing his best friend's reaction, roared with laughter. Lily was far from impressed.

**A/N: Didn't go as planned (again), but the next part **_**should**_** be on par with what I was intending for this fic, and if it isn't, well we'll wander round in the dark that is the future of this story together!**


	4. Potions and Comrades

**A/N: This is another one that didn't go the way I wanted it to, I've decided to give up having a plan and just play it by ear! It's a bit shorter than the others, but it's harder to be descriptive when you've got loads of dialogue, I'll try and be more descriptive in the next chapter though, and attempt to make it longer to make up for this one!**

**Thanks for everyone who's read/reviewed, it's much appreciated :)**

"Right, as I was saying, making Amortentia today, if all goes well, by the end of the lesson you should be able to smell whatever attracts you most coming from your cauldrons! You'll be working in pairs and in no circumstances is anyone to remove any of the potion from this classroom, nor are they to allow anyone to drink it." Slughorn's gaze first moved to James and then to Sirius. "Off you go then, cauldron's at the ready!"

"Prongs!" Sirius hissed from the table he was stood at with Remus. "You'd think he didn't trust us!" James laughed heartily, until Lily scolded him.

"Chop those, will you?" Whilst James began chopping a variety of ingredients. It wasn't long before steam began to rise from their cauldron in swirls. James sniffed the are in front of him, he could smell the woody scent of a broomstick handle, smoke of the sort that a Filibuster Firework would leave behind, and the soft scent of lilies. He smiled and turned to Lily. "What can you smell?" She took in the scent from the cauldron and looked at him.

"Strawberries, new parchment and…she blushed a shade of pink that James had never seen fill her face.

"What?"

"Nothing…." She smiled at him and he nearly melted, he couldn't remember ever seeing her look so beautiful, he wanted someone to take a picture so that he could keep it forever, his heart started beating at twice the normal rate and he was sure his own cheeks had flushed red, but he didn't have much time to dwell on it because a loud bang came from behind him and he turned to see Sirius and Remus' cauldron smoking.

"Padfoot you're an _idiot_, sometimes!" Remus yelled, but there was a look of enjoyment in his eyes and James couldn't help laughing.

Professor Slughorn quickly cleaned up the damage and after checking everyone else's potions, and awarding Lily and James 10 points to Gryffindor for their successful attempt, dismissed the class. "Misters Potter, Black and Lupin, I trust that none of you have removed any potion from these cauldrons?"

"Would we really do a thing like that sir?"

"Honestly sir, James is _head boy_."

"I wouldn't put anything past you boys, I've learnt from my mistakes." The boys roared with laughter at the memory of the aging potion they'd stolen in their fourth year, it had been worth the four weeks of detentions they had spent cleaning cauldrons.

Once they had convinced Slughorn they hadn't taken any of the amortentia, he allowed them to leave.

"So." Sirius said, almost seriously, as the three friends left the dungeons. "What exactly did happen with little Lily flower?"

"Nothing much, we just, almost kissed…."

"You did _what?!_"

"We almost kissed." James told him matter-of-factly. Remus laughed at Sirius' expression and James joined in when he began doing goldfish impressions.

"No! No, I refuse to believe it! Wouldn't happen in a million years! Never ever ever! Cannons'll win the quidditch cup before Lily-"

"Before I what?" James turned on the spot to see Lily Evans staring at them, one hand on her hip, her hair falling effortlessly into place.

"Nothing Lily." He smiled sweetly and she raised an eyebrow.

"Dumbledore wants to see you. Well, us. In his office."

"What, now?"

"No, at seven. I'll meet you in the common room."

"Okay." James smiled. "It's a date."

"It is **not** a date!" She told him firmly and walked off to join her friend, Mary, who had been waiting at the end of the corridor.

"It's a date." James said, more to himself than to anyone.

"Oh yeah, very romantic Prongs, you, Lily…and the headmaster." He seized Remus by the arm and held his hand, staring, what James imagined was supposed to be adoringly, into his eyes. "Oh Lily, what a lovely date we're having." Remus grinned, more than happy to play along.

"Oh yes James, I've never been anywhere as romantic as our headmaster's study!"

"The lighting is perfect!"

"The food divine!"

"Yes, I am almost as fond of sherbert lemons as I am of you, Lily pad!" The pair fell apart laughing and Peter walked over.

"What's going on?"

"Ah!" Said Sirius, seizing Peter by the arm and forcing him into position in front of Remus and himself. "Professor Dumbledore, you mustn't speak, you will distract me from Lily!"

"What?"

"Oh James, your reflection in Dumbledore's glasses is simply heavenly!" Peter looked slightly less confused and laughed.

"Chocolate frog, lady, gentleman?"

"Why thank you professor!"

"If this card is of you, I shall propose to my dear Lily!"

"Propose? Oh my! I hope it is Dumbledore!"

"Oh it will be, my love!"

"Alright, alright, shut up." James looked severely put out and Sirius clapped him on the back.

"Of course Prongs, it is our right-"

"As your very best friends."

"- to mock, ridicule,-"

"And in any other way make fun of you."

"Until our heart is content."

"Or until I hex you into oblivion."

"Alas, dear James, that is the beauty of us being your very best friends-"

"Your comrades!"

"Your cohorts!"

"- you cannot do without us, and as such, hexing us into oblivion is not a viable option."

"After all, who'd do you homework if you hexed me to the moon and back?"

"Moony makes a very good point."

"A very good point."

"And after all, I was forced into mocking you against my will."

"Wormtail makes a very good point."

"A very good point."

"In that case." James grinned. "I'll just hex Padfoot."


	5. Dumbledore's Office

**A/N: Oo, I don't know what to say this time! Thanks for everyone who's reading & reviewing & everyone who's added story alerts & added it to their favourite stories. Hopefully you won't be disappointed with this part :)**

Lily was already in the common room when James walked down from the dormitory, he glanced at his watch to ensure he wasn't late and walked over to her. She was still in her school uniform and he wondered if he should be too, he had pulled his robes on over jeans and a t-shirt, he hadn't thought of it as a formal meeting, Dumbledore wasn't the sort to hold them. Lily looked him up and down, if he hadn't known she was checking if he looked presentable enough for her to be seen with him, he would have been pleased.

"Where's your badge?"

"In my pocket…"

"Put it on then." He did as he was told and wondered if, when she finally agreed to go out with him, Lily was going to wear the trousers in their relationship. He strongly suspected she was.

They walked to Dumbledore's office in silence, James leading the way, he knew it well, he'd been sent to see the headmaster on more than once occasion during his time at Hogwarts. One of very few students who had, actually, it was reserved for those who the teachers weren't quite sure what to do with. As such, James and his fellow marauders had become frequent visitors.

Dumbledore was sat behind his desk and smiled at them both when they came in, his eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. He gestured to the chairs in front of him.

"Take a seat…. And help yourself to sherbert lemons." Although neither of the students took the sweets, they both sat down and looked at their headmaster expectantly.

"I suppose you're wondering why you're here."

"Not really, Professor, I thought you'd want to see us about head student duties at some point…"

"I'm wondering why I'm here, actually." James put in. Lily looked at him, a smile playing on her lips.

"Yes, we're all wondering why _you're_ here Potter."

"Am I Potter,_ again?_"

"Yes." She folded her arms and gave him a look that he supposed was meant to end the conversation.

"Why?" Lily rolled her eyes.

"Because that's what I want to call you." Dumbledore watched this exchange, looking thoroughly amused.

"Oh, the charm of youth." He smiled again and looked at James. "You're here because you're head boy, are you not?"

"Well, yeah, but _why_ am I head boy?"

"Well, I would've thought that was obvious, Mr Potter." He smiled cryptically and James had no idea what would possess Dumbledore to make him head boy. Sirius' words filled his head. _He must be starting to lose his marbles._ Yes, thought James, that was probably it. He nodded, a grin playing on his lips. "And it's not because I'm going mad." James got the distinct impression that Dumbledore had read his mind, but said nothing.

"Sir? What did you want to see us about, then?"

"Oh various things, Miss Evans, various things." The head students exchanged looks and wondered if Dumbledore was actually going to tell him what the various things were. The headmaster chuckled softly. "I would think two of the brightest minds in Hogwarts history would not be perturbed by a little waiting, you are, after all, clever enough to be able to it work out if anything were going on." James and Lily said nothing, both staring at Dumbledore, neither was sure what to say, or if they were expected to speak at all. "To the point, then is it?" Still neither spoke.

"You've spoken to the prefects already I imagine." Lily nodded. James didn't, he hadn't joined Lily in the prefect's compartment on the Hogwarts Express, preferring to spend his final journey as he had each of the others, in the company of his three best friends. "You'll need to let Mr Potter know the names and houses of the prefects, I do believe he was somewhat otherwise engaged when you spoke to them." He didn't look angry at James' irresponsibility, just amused. Lily, however, looked less than impressed.

"Yes Professor." She looked at James. "I'll give you a list later, and you'd better look at it." Dumbledore chuckled again.

"Well, at least we've established who's in charged." James was certain Lily blushed. "Now, next on the agenda, giving points and detentions." James picked up a sherbert lemon and put it in his mouth before leaning back in his chair and listening as Dumbledore worked his way through all their duties, what they were allowed to do, and what they weren't. He also reminded them, or rather, reminded James, not to abuse their power, and not to ignore wrongdoing. "It might, Mr Potter, be an idea if you didn't engage in said wrongdoing yourself either."

"I wouldn't do a thing like that, sir." The head teacher laughed and nodded.

"That's always helpful, we can't have our head boy spending half his school life in detention now, can we?" He rose to his feet. "I shall return momentarily, I seem to have forgotten the password to your office."

"Our _office_?"

"Oh yes, Mr Potter will be able to show you where it is, I'm pretty sure he will have visited it once or twice."

"Ah, memories." James grinned. Dumbledore left the room and Lily turned to look at James, she didn't say a word, just watched him as he ate another sherbert lemon. "What?"

"Nothing…."

"You're staring."

"I'm not, sorry James."

"Don't apologise." He grinned. "Look Lily, I know I annoy you…"

"Annoy isn't the word." She gave him a stern look but James was pretty sure there was very little feeling behind it.

"I do like you."

"You've said." James sighed and wished she'd give him half a chance. Then again, her wand wasn't out and she hadn't fired any jinxes at him. Yet.

"No, I'm being serious, I'm not doing it to wind you up, I do like you… _really_ like you." Lily looked at though she wasn't sure whether he meant it or not, and didn't want to respond in case he didn't. He said nothing and fiddled with the sweet wrapper in his hand. Maybe girls preferred an indirect approach. Lily opened her mouth to open at the same time as the door to the office opened and Dumbledore returned. James sighed and he must have looked miserable because Dumbledore held out the sweets for him once again.

"Don't worry, you'll be able to return to your comrades shortly." He handed them both a piece of parchment. "I suggest you go make the office your own during your free period tomorrow, you'll no doubt have prefects dropping first years off there in no time." James nodded and rose to his feet, pocketing his parchment he stood to one side to let Lily walk down the stairs first and then followed her.

"Mr Potter?" James turned in the doorway.

"Sir?"

"How do you think Gryffindor stands for this year's Quidditch Cup?"


	6. A Good Start

**A/N: Firstly I want to apologise for the delay in getting this update finished (or started), I don't really have much excuse but hopefully this will make up for it!**

**Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, reviews are what makes writing worthwhile after all!**

James sat watching Lily over breakfast, Remus had his head buried in a book and Sirius looked as though he was doing his best not to fall asleep in his cornflakes. Peter was nowhere to be seen, and whilst Lily was trying to avoid James' eye, the vast majority of the girls at the Gryffindor table were trying to catch it. It was often like this, James and Sirius defined cool and it helped that both were very handsome. As such it was only on very rare occasions they didn't attract female attention.

The post arriving snapped James out of his reverie and he looked up, scanning the mass of owls above his head to see if his parents had sent them anything. Suddenly a third year boy near James jumped to his feet, staring at the head boy. "James! James! Nimbus has got a Howler!"

"What? It's the first day of term! And I haven't done anything wrong yet!"

"Run Prongs, before it gets to you!" Sirius shouted, suddenly wide awake.

"If it's for me it'll be for you too, y'know, you're their responsibility as well."

"Oh shit!" He jumped to his feet and made to run. Nimbus swooped down and skidded across the table, looking at James almost guiltily as he dropped the letter in front of him. His mother's voice filled the room. All eyes turned towards the Gryffindor table. James wished the ground would swallow him up as even Lily glanced in their direction.

"James Henry Potter!" James groaned inwardly at the use of his middle name. Sirius smirked until the howler rounded on him. "Sirius Orion Black!" It was Sirius' turn to groan. He had been living with James for over a year now and although he was always welcome at the Potters', he had become that close to them that he was one of the family now to the point that he was no longer exempt from punishment. "What in the name of Merlin have you two been playing at?! My house is not a test subject for your latest high jinks! Hardly safe to walk about! You pair become more immature every day! It's high time you grew up and started acting like the head boy you're supposed to be! Whatever Dumbledore was thinking in appointing a miscreant like you to such a position I'll never know! What am I going to do with you? Seventeen the pair of you and still behaving like first years! If I get one letter from the school before Christmas you'll be locked in the cellar for a week!" James sighed with relief as the howler finally burst into flames. Remus sniggered behind his book. The Slytherin table were laughing.

"We're starting early this year, Padfoot, that must be a new record." The boys were no stranger to howlers, and had counted them regularly, trying to see who could acquire the most in one years. James always won because although there was little more Sirius' mother liked than to yell at him, if his behaviour didn't disgrace the family name she didn't deem it worthy enough to waste her time with. Their record number to date had been in their third year, when James had received twenty six, and Sirius nineteen.

"There's another letter, look." James lifted it up and read it. He laughed and handed it to Sirius.

"From my dad. Pre warning that Mum found those dung bombs. And that mirror we jinxed. Seemed to think he should let us know before she sent a howler."

"Perhaps we should let him know about that top hat, and the rolling pin. Before your mum finds them. Not too much of a fan of your cellar."

"No, me either." James brushed the remains of the howler away and glanced over at Lily, who gave him a reproachful look, but it was hiding a smile. He leaned across the table. "Our free period's after Charms, do you want to go straight from there or meet me in the common room?"

"After that display I don't think I want to be associated with you, Mr Potter." Lily told him.

"Alas, I am head boy, and I would hope to promise you it shall never happen again. My dear mother is rather sensitive, but Sirius shall write a lengthily letter to my fine father and I am certain he shall remove all of our other misdeeds before they are discovered by my aforementioned mother."

"We'll go straight from charms." James smiled triumphantly and returned to his friends. Remus was still laughing and Sirius was delivering a few choice swearwords across the table. He laughed. It wasn't like it was unheard of for the marauders to get a howler, it was always forgotten quite quickly.

The rest of the day past fairly quickly and without event, excluding Sirius trying to turn Remus' hair lime, it would have worked had Peter not distracted him at the wrong moment. There were now several portraits on the fourth floor corridor looking a nice shade of green.

James and Lily walked to the head students' office in silence, Lily still felt that she would only talk to James were it impossible to avoid doing so. James himself was lost in thought and nearly led them in the wrong direction several times. When they were inside the office James flopped down on a sofa that was positioned to one side, whilst Lily sat on a tall chair behind a large desk and looked around. The office was quite large. On the opposite side of the desk from Lily were two uncomfortable looking wooden chairs. The walls were aligned with shelves covered in various books, there appeared to be a copy of every text book a Hogwarts student might require. There were various stacks of parchment, quills and ink scattered around the room. Opposite where James was sprawled were two armchairs, either side of a fireplace, designed for comfortable discussion of headship matters, no doubt. James sat up once Lily's surveying of the office appeared complete.

"Lily…"

"James?" She turned to look at him.

"What I said last night, in Dumbledore's office, I did mean it." Lily nodded.

"I know."

"You know that I'm serious about this… about you?" He bit hard on his lip. He had had several girlfriends during his time at Hogwarts but had never once spoken to any of them about his feelings. He was comfortable talking about quidditch, about homework, about his latest misdemeanour, music, the next Hogsmeade visit, but he had never been one to put a great amount of stock on emotions, he would pass them by, they were unimportant most of the time. He found talking to Lily, trying to convince her that this was real for him, increasingly difficult, the more he had to bare his soul the harder he found it.

Whether or not Lily did know, did believe him, he wasn't going to learn just yet. There was a loud knock on the door and he reluctantly rose to his feet, answering the door to the Ravenclaw prefect he had encountered the previous morning. He was beginning to like that boy less and less. MacMillan pushed forward two second years, both were covered in a combination of ink, blood and potions supplies. "Fighting in the corridor."

"Right."

"Leave them with you shall I?"

"I… yeah, yeah, I think so." Once MacMillan had gone James led the two boys, one Gryffindor, one Slytherin, into the room and told them to sit down in the chairs opposite Lily. He watched as she reprimanded them and gave them both detentions, deducting ten points from each house. James quickly performed a cleaning charm on each of them and sent the more battered of the two; the Gryffindor, whose name was Jack Smith, to the hospital wing. Lily told the Slytherin to return to his common room and they both let out a sigh when they had gone.

"If we have a year of this I might quit."

"I thought you couldn't wait to get started on the head girl stuff?"

"I'm not too keen on taking points away from Gryffindor, you'll have to win your first quidditch match, make the points up."

"I haven't even picked the team yet." Lily nodded but said nothing. James wanted to return the discussion to their possible relationship, but Lily appeared determined to avoid it and started to make a note of the incident, writing down the students names and what had happened. James watched her silently, the way she moved her hand as she wrote each letter, the look on her face as she concentrated on what she was writing. Why did she have to be so beautiful? And why did she try so hard to resist him? Why did this have to be so difficult?

Suddenly James realised Lily was staring at him expectantly. "Huh?"

"I said, should we be letting the teachers know about these detentions?" James shrugged and looked at what Lily had written, but he didn't read the words, his mind was still far, far away, in another world, where Lily liked him, where Lily wanted him, where Lily was kissing him. It was a few seconds before he released that Lily _was_ kissing him. Or rather, his lips were on Lily's, and she wasn't pulling away.

**A/N: I'll try and update again tomorrow, I'm starting university next week so I want to update as much as I can before then.**


	7. Happy as Larry, or James

**A/N: I know I said I'd update this pretty much straight away but I was waiting for reviews, now that I have one I'm updating, and thank you very much to sarena678 for reviewing! Thanks to everyone who's reading, too!**

James couldn't stop grinning. He had grinned all the way to Gryffindor tower, through the common room and up the stairs to his dormitory. He sat on his bed, leaning against the headboard, his legs crossed at the ankles. And he grinned. Sirius, Remus and Peter were watching him with a large amount of amusement.

Sirius lay on his front, his head resting on the pillow which he had pulled to the bottom of the bed, Remus was sat cross legged in the middle of his, the book he had abandoned lay open beside him, Peter was on the edge of his own bed, swinging his legs back and forth. Each of their faces bore the same expression. Eventually Sirius, looking thoroughly bored, sat himself up and looked at his best friend. "Are you going to tell us what's got you in such very high spirits or just sit there grinning like the proverbial cat?"

"I kissed Lily."

"Oh dear." Remus said, with a smirk.

"He's delusional." Sirius stood, walking to James' bed and checking his forehead for a temperature.

"Better get him to the hospital wing." Peter clambered to his feet and help Sirius hauled James upright. They frog marched him to the door whilst Remus roared with laughter. James chuckled and pulled himself away from his friends.

"No, really, I kissed Lily."

"But you're alive. You can't have."

"She didn't stop me!" He grinned and sprung onto his bed again, the grin still plastered on his face. The other boys looked at him in shock. Peter sat on the end of James' bed, his face alight with curiosity.

"What was it like?" There was a resounding groan from each of the marauders, this was a frequent occurrence, Peter, despite his best efforts, was not a hit with the ladies, and as such had yet to kiss a girl. Sirius, however, had shared a moment with at least half the girls in Hogwarts, earning him a nickname that they would unlikely to repeat in front of James' parents. James had kissed many of the girls, although this had become less and less frequent the more he became attracted to Lily. Even Remus had had a fair share of romantic experiences. And each time one of them returned with a story for the others Peter had the same question to ask. And each time he asked, they ignored it.

"Did you nick some of Slughorn's Amortentia?"

"No." James looked quite offended. "We just kissed. I didn't force her."

"What happened?" Remus asked, moving to join the others and shoving Sirius slightly for teasing their friend.

"We were just sat their, in our office, talking, and then… next thing I was kissing her."

"Then what?" Peter asked eagerly. James shrugged.

"McGonagall came in." Sirius swore loudly. Peter laughed. Remus looked curious.

"Bet she was pleased."

"Said something about unprofessional behaviour, told me to come back here, don't know what she said to Lily after I left, but I reckon she won't do anything about it, Lily's her favourite student." He laughed. "After you Moony."

"Yeah, well we all know McGonagall's fancies Remus." Remus blushed scarlet.

"She does not fancy me! I'm just good at transfiguration! I'm her _student_!"

"And she is like a hundred!" Peter put in.

"She's not _that_ old."

"Oo, Moony knows how old McGonagall is, maybe he fancies her back." Sirius taunted.

"What a cute couple!" James said, smirking. Remus buried his face in James' pillow, the other three boys roared with laughter. Suddenly their dormitory door opened, they turned to look at the visitor. Remus lifted his head enquiringly, his face still a bright shade of pink. James stopped laughing abruptly when he realised that the person standing in the doorway was none other than Lily Evan. He gulped, he felt butterflies in his stomach and his breath hitched slightly. Sirius clapped him on the back.

"Prongs, wakey wakey, I think Miss Evans is here seeking your affections."

"I am not." Lily folded her arms across her chest. "I don't want his affections. I want a word."

"I knew it! You **did** use Amortentia!"

"I did not!" James kicked Sirius hard and he fell back, Remus and Peter reached out and grabbed him to stop him hitting the ground.

"He didn't. At least, I don't think he did."

"You _kissed_ him of your own accord?!"

"Potter!" Lily looked furious and grabbed James by the front of his robes, hauling him forward and shoving him, with all the strength she could muster, into the wall. Her strength surprised him and he looked at her, stunned. Peter's mouth hung open, Remus stifled a laugh. Sirius swore again. "Come downstairs. I want to talk to you. _Without_ your following listening." James' fellow marauders looked insulted. He shrugged at his friends apologetically as he followed Lily down the stairs. The boys raced out after them and sat on the stairs, well within earshot of Lily and James, who had just turned the corner at the bottom of the boys' staircase.

"McGonagall really wasn't impressed with that."

"We weren't doing anything wrong."

"She thinks we were abusing our position." James smirked. "Not _that_ sort of position, Potter."

"There's nothing wrong with kissing, and I like you." He reached out and took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. She pulled her hand away sharply.

"Don't James."

"What?"

"You're an arrogant toe rag. You love yourself and thing everyone should love you back, most of the girls in the school fancy you and Black so you think you're God's gift and you're not! You think you're Mr Popular but you're nothing but an egotistical, smart arsed bully!"

"What…"

"Hexing anyone who comes into sight! Showing off all the time! Thinking you _own_ the place!"

"Lily, I haven't done any of that for ages… I stopped… because you didn't like it." Lily's expression softened slightly.

"Listen James, I don't know why I let you kiss me-" She paused, studying his face. Sirius swore under his breath from the stairs, James wasn't going to like that. "Not that I find you revolting or anything, but it wasn't planned, and-" She kissed his cheek. "I'll see you in the morning, or something."

"Night…" James mumbled miserably. Maybe he wasn't getting somewhere with Lily after all. His friends quickly scrambled up the stairs before James turned around. He plastered a smile onto his face and followed them into the room. He sat on his bed and smiled at his friends.

"You alright Prongs?"

"Fine."

"What did Lily flower say?"

"Just said McGonagall thought we were _'abusing our position'_, kissed me goodnight, then went."

"Kissed?" Sirius asked. It was a look of disbelief, but James didn't catch on that they'd heard everything.

"Just on the cheek, I don't think we'll be going out yet." He thought he'd disguised the hurt in his voice very well, and nothing more was said on the matter for the rest of the evening.

Later, when Sirius and Peter had left to brush their teeth, Remus patted James on the back. "Lily'll come round, you know that?"

"Yeah. McGonagall'll declare her undying love for you, you know that?" He smirked.


	8. Relaxation and Responsibilities

**A/N: Okay, I know it's been like, over a month, but I've just seriously not been able to get anywhere with this, anyway, here's an update. It's a bit short & it's not great & it doesn't really have great purpose in the run of the story but it exists, at least.**

The rest of the week went by without event and before they knew it the weekend was upon them. James, having abandoned his school uniform was wearing jeans and a large jumper which, along with his unruly hair, made him look as though he had just awoken and thrown on whatever was nearest. The jeans were torn at the bottom and covered the majority of his feet, they were ripped and frayed at the back where he had trodden on them, but he didn't care; he was happy feeling delightfully casual as he sat on the edge of the desk in the head's office; his feet swinging carelessly backwards and forwards. He didn't notice Lily arrive in the room, nor scrutinise his appearance, he was focused entirely on his friends; the daily profit was resting in Remus' hands as he studied it eagerly, Sirius was making paper aeroplanes from his own copy.

"Are there any in there then, Moony?"

"A few, but Sirius should be looking."

"Why? You'll find somewhere positively charming for me and we shall visit it at Christmas and I shall move in at Easter and it will all be spectacularly perfect and Mr and Mrs Potter will be enthralled at the prospect of getting rid of me until the day when I actually leave at which point they will burst into spontaneous showers of tears and beg me to stay and to send James to live in some drafty house in the muggle suburbs."

"I can't imagine anyone being pained at seeing you leave, Black." Lily mumbled from the doorway dryly; she had had little or no time for Sirius since he had played a rather dangerous trick on Severus Snape the previous year, despite the fact that she was no longer friends with the Slytherin boy. James' jaw clicked involuntarily, he was immensely protective of Sirius and he glanced sideways at his friend, who thankfully didn't seem perturbed in the slightest.

"Can we help you?"

"This is my office, you shouldn't even be here."

"James' office too."

"Yes, James', not yours. I could ask you to leave."

"Ah, you want alone time with Mr Prongs. Say no more. Moony, time to depart." Remus' eyes flicked up from the newspaper long enough for him to roll them, but he made no effort to move. James smiled at Lily apologetically and threw a ball of parchment at Sirius' head. The taller boy was quick enough to catch it and throw it back but James flicked it effortless into a nearby wastepaper basket and attempt to smile at Lily again.

"You alright, Lily?"

"Fine thanks, James."

"You look…formal." He pointed out, Lily was still wearing her Hogwarts robes despite it being the weekend and had opted to wear her school skirt and shirt beneath them, although she had removed her tie. James tried not to let his eyes linger over her attire too much.

"You don't."

"Casual Saturdays." He informed her. He looked so effortlessly relaxed in contrast to Lily, who had felt that as head girl she should keep up appearances at all times. It was at that point that their head duties were called in as a very small first year girl stuck her head around the door shyly. When she noticed the amount of people in the room she quickly ducked back out again but Peter, who was sat nearest, pushed it open again. Lily shot the girl a winning smile and James felt something deep in the pit of his stomach jump.

"Hello." Lily was still smiling. James' stomach was still doing somersaults.

"H…hi."

"Don't mind this lot, I know they look scary but their too stupid to harmless." Sirius and Peter chorused an "oi" at her, Remus decided he was excluded and, throwing the paper to one side, laughed lightly. James smirked and jumped off the desk cheerily. Lily rolled her eyes when it became clear he wasn't wearing any shoes. The girl giggled.

"I…" She looked nervously about her again. "C…could I t…talk to you?"

"Me?" Lily enquired. The girl nodded.

"You're…you're head girl a…aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Then you." She nodded. Lily commanded the boys to leave and they did so reluctantly, James picked up his shoes and made it half way out the door before Lily pulled him back. She smiled at him.

"James."

"Lily."

"Come back in a bit, I want to talk to you."

"Anything important?"

"Don't get your hopes up, Potter." She shoved him lightly and when he was no longer in the doorway she shut it behind her. James shrugged at his friends, who were all laughing at him. They were all insistent that he was well and truly under Lily's thumb.

"JAMES POTTER!" A voice behind him called loudly. He turned his head to see Professor McGonagall striding towards him.

"Professor?"

"Put those shoes on at once! You're supposed to be setting an example to the first years."

"Yes Professor." He said, there was none of the childish sarcasm that would have been there in previous years, he did as he was asked and then looked up at her, almost as though he were seeking her approval. She nodded curtly.

"Quidditch tryouts, Mr Potter."

"Professor?" James was baffled, quidditch tryouts weren't going on right now. He was pretty sure he hadn't set them up, anyway.

"Are you actually going to hold any, or play with three men down?"

"Well, desperate times call for desperate measures professor, it just so happens my three best friends are Gryffindors."

"You're not getting me on a broomstick in front of the whole school James." Remus informed him. James smirked at the memory of their first flying lesson, Remus, who was a fair flier when it was just the four of them in the field behind his parents' house, had fallen off almost instantly. His smirk died as he remembered their first flying lesson had been a few days after the full moon, they hadn't known it at the time but thinking about it now that had probably largely contributed to his ill balance.

"Mr Potter, if you aren't going to take the captainship seriously I will have to suggest someone else takes over the role."

"I'll hold the tryouts next Saturday." He said, largely to keep his head of house off his back. She nodded again and then left them, his friends laughed and Sirius patted him on the back. James sent a half hearted glare to Remus. "You traitor."

"I am not."

"You're just trying to get into old McGonagall's good books, aren't you Moony?" Sirius said with a grin.

"For the last time, I do **not** fancy Professor McGonagall!" Remus shouted, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"That is very nice to know, Mr Lupin, and I thank you for announcing it in the middle of the corridor." Whilst James, Peter and Sirius were doubled over laughing, Remus closed his eyes tightly, his skin turning even redder than it had previously been, James imagined he was trying to pretend that McGonagall hadn't doubled back and wasn't standing right beside them at that very moment.

**A/N: Review? Please?**


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